Pretending Is Futile
by Komett
Summary: Setsuna is sick of embarassingly lusting after Konoka and is determined to quell these feelings forever. Little does she know that the first day she puts this into practice is the same day Konoka tries to get them together. Love vs. Sensibility! KonoSetsu
1. A Date

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Mahou Sensei Negima, although I do own both T.V series on DVD and possess all the current manga :)

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A/N: This is my first KonoSetsu fic, I love those two and wanted to write a multi-chap fic based around a humourous day out of theirs. This first chap is rather shortish, being mostly a prologue if anything, but hopefully I put enough stuff in it to catch your interest. Please review at the end!

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Setsuna didn't even get to swallow her first mouthful of hot chocolate peacefully as Konoka's words caused her to spray the warm liquid in burst of shock. Ever helpful, Asuna thumped her coughing and spluttering friend on the back while Negi removed his glasses and began to clean the stray drops from the lenses with his handkerchief. After hastily wiping the tabletop with her own handkerchief and regaining her wits, the young Mahora guardswoman turned nervous eyes towards her charge's.

"B-but ojousama, we can't... It's..! Ojousama, to suggest such a thing between girls is...!"

"Ne, Secchan, the phrase "it's a date" is only a figure of speech, silly~!"

Still staring at Konoka uncertainly, Setsuna was suddenly overcome with embarrassment as she averted her eyes to the still-steaming mug clutched in her grip on the table. _Oh... so when Konoka-ojousama asked me to accompany her on a shopping trip tomorrow, and when I agreed she said "Alright! Then it's a date!" she wasn't literally meaning a __**romantic date**__..._

_... Although, I wish she __**had've **__been meaning that..._

Now feeling even stupider at her own contradicting personality, Setsuna slumped her shoulders slightly as Asuna, Negi and Konoka continued on with a conversation about upcoming assessments around her, oblivious to her self-wallowing. True, she nearly had a heart attack when she thought her Ojousama was asking her out in front of people while they all sat crowded around the small table in Konoka and Asuna's room, but that was only because she was indeed in front of people. Hell, had Konoka asked her same thing while they were alone, Setsuna wasn't sure if she could trust herself not to launch at her childhood friend and wrap her in a tight embrace.

... Which, given the fact that Konoka wasn't actually asking her out, would've been _**very**_embarrassing.

It was easier, she decided, back when they were children and she only really thought of her ojousama as her best friend and playmate. Sure she felt the same amount of love towards Konoka as she did now, but back then she didn't have to deal with the _lust_ that came with adolescence.

Now, whenever she laid eyes on her best friend, her heartbeat seemed to go crazy and convince the little pulse points in her temples to dance along too. Not only that, but a warm, fluttering feeling would also fill her and for some damn reason she had incredible trouble drawing her eyes away from the girl.

The worst part of it all for Setsuna though - not to say that the aforementioned symptoms didn't give her enough trouble already - was when it came to bathing with Konoka.

Even when the towel was firmly wrapped around the mage's torso, Setsuna's traitorous eyes would linger on the slim legs and curved shoulders and the swordsman was forced to hurriedly submerge herself in the enormous bath just to avoid looking like a weirdo, standing and leering at Konoka. Plus, she'd never admit it, but the steam made it easier for her obscure her vision of the young mage, and therefore help fight down the urge she always got to throw herself at her lady and passionately take her right there on the tiled floor, company be damned.

It was exactly these kinds of urges that scared Setsuna the most.

Although she spent nearly every waking minute fighting these thoughts and issues during the day she couldn't keep the dreams from assualting her at night, and more often than not would find herself waking at night, sweaty and out of breath, body tingling all over as she realises with embarassment and shame that her hand had made it's way into her underwear while she'd slept, dreaming of Konoka.

Specifically, dreaming of _doing things _to and with Konoka that she would never ever admit to even considering. After many late night showers and changes of underwear, Setsuna was nearly driven insane by her lust for the healer. In order to lessen some of the tension, she would sometimes be guilty of daydreaming during class, zoning out from Negi-sensei's squeaking voice and instead imagining a world where she and Kono-chan were lovers and partners and - dare she even think it - parents.

It was a combination of all these overwhelming feelings for the girl that had sent Setsuna's heartbeat once again into a frenzy when she thought they were finally getting together. Taking another small sip of the hot chocolate, Setsuna sighed mournfully to herself.

At least she tried to, but Asuna's super-human hearing picked up on the sound right away and she glanced over at the swordswoman.

"You okay, Setsuna?"

The half-demon looked up at her friend's concerned faces as she suddenly felt awkward. She hated being the centre of attention. She nodded.

"I'm fine, I'm just a little tired I suppose. Perhaps I should return to my room for the night."

Konoka glanced up at the clock and confirmed that it was indeed getting late.

"Come on Secchan, don't worry about finishing your drink. Let me walk you back to your room."

The Shinmei student hurried to her feet and held her hands up.

"T-that's not necessary, Ojousama! I am fine to walk back on my own! You shouldn't leave the warmth of your room just to walk me back to my dorm..."

Before she trailed off her sentence Konoka had already stood and laced her arm through Setsuna's.

"Don't be silly, Secchan" she giggled, dragging the beet-red and flustered girl towards the door.

"Uhh, Good night Asuna-san! Goodnight Negi-sensei!" Setsuna barely managed to call out before being led out the door, leaving Asuna and Negi chuckling in the empty room.

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Walking arm-in-arm down the corridor, Setsuna nervously flitted her eyes from the point where their bodies met, to the hallway in front of them, and back again. She couldn't but tense up as she felt Konoka squeeze a little closer to her. Swallowing in order to try and restore some moisture to her mouth, Setsuna voiced aloud a question.

"Are you cold, Kono-chan?"

Now that she was no longer in the presence of company, Setsuna allowed herself to call her childhood friend by her pet name. To be honest, although it was kind of improper for a guard to address her charge as such, Setsuna felt most at ease calling her this childish name than the expected "ojousama." Konoka herself visibly brightened at Setsuna's use of the name, and smiled cheerfully.

"A little bit, I guess. You're nice and warm though, so it's not too bad. It's ok for me to snuggle up to you like this, right?"

Setsuna felt dizzy. There was part of her mind telling her to wrap her arms around Konoka's frame, slide her hands to the girl's hips and lift her into a bridal-style embrace in order to show what a _real_ snuggle was. But the rational part of Setsuna that (thank god!) controlled her movements at this time simply allowed her head to nod in reply to Konoka, and fall into awkward silence as they continued onward.

Reaching her dorm door, Setsuna stopped walking and was waiting for Konoka to let go of her arm.... which didn't happen. Blushing, Setsuna tried not to look at her arm that Konoka was currently clutching against her chest; the rise and fall of her breathing causing her small breasts to ever-so-softly brush against the hanyou's arm. Clearing her throat, Setsuna begrudgingly withdrew her arm from Konoka's grasp and reached forward to open her door.

"Um, thank you for accompanying me Ojousama. I hope you have a good night."

Finally turning to face her companion, Setsuna was a bit taken aback to see what looked like _disappointment _briefly flickering in her ojousama's eyes before the mage grinned and bid her a good night in return. Watching Konoka's retreating back protectively until the Konoe heir disappeared around the corner, Setsuna finally sighed and entered her room, closing the door behind her.

Once inside, Setsuna glanced around her room for any sign of her roommate, a one Tatsumiya Mana. The empty silence that greeted her confirmed her thoughts.

_So Mana is out tonight... Well, I already had dinner at Ojousama's tonight so I guess I'll just chill out for a while..._

Pulling her socks off at the doorway, the young woman walked over to the bunk she shared with the tanned mercenary and lay down on her own mattress, the bottom bunk. Shifting for a few moments until she lay in a comfortable position on her back, Setsuna let out a long sigh and closed her eyes.

_I was so stupid earlier, nearly giving myself away like that... when her I felt her chest against my arm, I could've died and gone to heaven right there..._

Squirming a little, Setsuna welcomed the little rush of awkward feelings that began to fill her as she recalled the feeling of her arm practically being cuddled into her Ojousama's cleavage. _And if only Kono-chan could feel the same kind of feelings that I do..._

On this train of thought, she imagined Konoka giggling at her as they stood before Setsuna's dorm, and rather than saying goodnight and walking away, the young heiress would lean forward and gently kiss her. The arm which was held to her chest would instead be guided to the hem of her shirt, where Setsuna would take initiative and slide the warm appendage up and over Konoka's warm belly, hearing the girl gasp against her lips as they pulled back from a kiss, Setsuna's head angling slightly to press warm lips to the girl's temple, her cheek, her chin, her jawline.

Setsuna lolled her head to the side, eyes closed, still stretched out on the covers of her bed, feeling her heartbeat and and breathing speed up as she continued to visualise these things. Normally, Setsuna would be kicking herself with disappointment at the slip in focus but right now, alone in her room and lying on her bed, she revelled in the strong feelings coursing through her body and causing her to squirm a bit more. It was a feeling Setsuna was pretty used to by now, called arousal.

Twisting one hand into her bed sheets, she imagined Konoka kissing and sucking gently at the skin of her neck, letting out a breathy noise of surprise as Setsuna's hand would stop tracing patterns on her belly long enough to slide upwards and into her bra, fingers and thumb gently teasing and fondling -

"Ahem, I'm back."

Setsuna, ripped from her fantasies, yanked her hand out of the waistband on her pants that it had been slipping beyond. Bright red, and embrassed beyond imagination, the swordswoman sat bolt upright and faced the girl who was now placing a rifle down onto the kitchen table and looking at Setsuna with a half-hidden smirk. Mana was known for stealth - Setsuna hadn't even heard her open the front door!

If she had've heard her, then there was no way she would've been caught on the verge of mastu-

"T-Tatsumiya-san, you're back."

"Stating the obvious, Setsuna. Bravo."

Blushing even more at her humiliation, Setsuna slid her legs off the side of the bed and stood up, twisiting her fingers through slick raven hair and striding briskly towards the fridge. She felt Mana's amused golden eyes on her back as she pulled out a water bottle and took a sip. She wasn't even thirsty - Just, in her embarassment, she needed to try and act casual! Remaining lying on the bed where she had lay moments before, squirming around with quickened breath and a hand slipping down her torso would NOT help her case at all.

Numbly, though, she knew that Mana was full aware of what she had been about to do. At least that was a good thing about having Tatsumiya Mana as your roommate - Unless she thought she could use it to blackmail someone in some way, the elite sniper didn't really care about what anyone did. And luckily for Setsuna, she seemed to have grown on Mana enough for the girl to **not** use things like this for extortion purposes. God help her if ever the likes of Asakura or Haruna found out about her crush on Konoka...

_Or, if Ojousama herself were to find out..._

Setsuna gulped, feeling icy dread creep down along her spine. In her mind's eye, she imagined a look of surprise, turned to disappointment, turned to badly-disguised disgust flit across Konoka's face if Setsuna stood before her and confessed her feelings. Then, the hanyou imagined the next few weeks being pushed away by Konoka, quietly avoided, the young heiress trying to distance herself from her messed-up affections...

Re-capping the water bottle and placing it back on the fridge shelf, Setsuna felt that uncomfortable feeling of tears pricking in the back of her eyes, and that awful jolt assault her heart. Really, if these feelings were caused by merely _imagining _Kono-chan's reaction, then she didn't know what she'd do if the situation she visualised ever came true. Commit suicide? No, Setsuna wasn't like that. Probably just cut off all ties with the Konoe family in shame, and leave Mahora.

There was another thought. Where would she go if this ever happened? Her own clan wanted nothing to do with a repulsive white half-crow, and the Shinmeiryuu had cast her aside as a traitor once she left the Kansai association and travelled to the Kanto rulership after choosing to join Konoka at Mahora Academy.

When it came down to it, Setsuna realised grimly, the Konoe family were the only sanctuary she had left. Closing the fridge door and stalking back over to her bed, Setsuna steeled herself with a newfound determination as she pulled back the cover and slipped inside.

_Right, I'm not going to mess this up. For Ojousama's sake_ _**and **__my own, I am going to bottle away these revolting emotions and support Ojousama as the ambiguous Bodyguard I was trained to be!_

Leaving the girl in the bunk above her to switch off the light, the room fell dark and silent as Setsuna rolled onto her side, mentally preparing herself for the upcoming shopping day with Konoka. Above her, the smooth voice of her rommate cracked the silence.

"... Hey Setsuna, if you're going to pick up where you left off right before I came in, try to be quiet about it ok? I have to get up early tomorrow."

Feeling her cheeks flare up again, Setsuna groaned at the teasing as she pulled the blankets over her head to block out the sound of quiet chuckling.

Okay, so maybe having Tatsumiya Mana as your sarcastic, torturously-sadistic roommate _wasn't_ so great sometimes...

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Next time: Setsuna puts her plan into full swing as she spends the day with Konoka, keeping her at arm's length, but she can't help but feel like the chocolate-haired girl is trying to turn their friendly outing into a **date**...? No! She mustn't give in to such ideal fantasies!

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A/N: So yeah, first KonoSetsu fanfic, even though I've obsessed over this manga for ages :D If I get good feedback for it, I'll probably continue it.

Let me know if you like it, hate it, wonder why the hell I posted it!


	2. I Don't Get You

DISCLAIMER: Ken Akamatsu and all those other important people own Negima, not me.

A/N: Thank you sincerely to everyone who reviewed last chapter, it was a very nice welcome into the Negima fandom. ^^ I hope I don't disappoint you with this chapter!

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Uncharacteristically, Konoka was nervous. She stood before her full-length wardrobe mirror, holding up different outfits to her person, before sighing uncertainly and throwing them onto the bed one-by-one and grabbing more from the rack. It was after lying in her top bunk for 10 minutes, groggily watching her friend repeating the same ritual over and over again, that Asuna decided to butt in.

"Konoka, seriously, I don't think Setsuna will care if you turned up in a potato sack, let alone anything else."

Biting her lip, Konoka sadly dropped her current experiment - a loose white button-up over a black tank and jeans - and fell backwards onto her bed, sitting on the edge and tilting her head back to look up at her roommate.

"I know Asuna, but today... today has to be _special, _you know?"

Gently, so as not to wake the sleeping 12 year old across the room, Asuna flipped herself over the side of the bunk and landed in a crouch on the carpet, getting up and sitting beside her anxious friend.

"I know Konoka, but you've been up since the crack of dawn stressing over all of this. I mean, it's Setsuna for god's sake! If you so much as smile at her for longer than 3 consecutive seconds the poor girl's head nearly explodes! You just have that effect on her, Konoka."

Giggling, the mage playfully smacked her friend on the shoulder.

"Asuna! That's _so_ an exaggeration!"

"Barely!"

Blushing slightly, Konoka looked down at her hands and smiled to herself.

"Well, she is very shy... but she's **my** shy Secchan. And today... I want to make her officially so."

Here, the nerves started creeping back.

"W-which is why, Asuna, I have to look good for her! Like... um, attractive. What if she doesn't want me back?"

Asuna rolled her mismatched eyes.

"Okaaay, and here we come back to the potato sack thing. Konoka, it's so damn obvious that Setsuna is smitten with you! I don't think even a blood-thirsty zombie horde with AIDS would be able to stop her from wanting to be your girlfriend, let alone your outfit."

Despite the deadpan tone, Asuna ended her sentence with a reassuring smile and a playful waggle of her eyebrows causing Konoka to giggle. With that the redhead got up and walked over to the kitchen, the bells in her hair tinkling merrily with each step. Left sitting on the bed, Konoka twisted her fingers together as she debated with herself on whether or not to voice her next question.

"Asuna..." she began quietly, after a few moments' hesitation. Her friend poked her head over the fridge door in answer, a rice ball sticking out of her mouth and a questioning expression on her face.

"I just want to be absolutely sure, before I ask Secchan to be my girlfriend today, are you definitely not going to feel uncomfortable with me dating a girl? I mean, it's not going to make things awkward between us, is it?"

Swallowing down a bite, Asuna sighed inwardly as her friend began to ramble on all of her insecurities. Seriously, as happy-go-lucky as Konoka was, she really did worry unnecessarily about certain subjects sometimes. Sakurazaki Setsuna, she knew, usually being at the centre of such musings.

"... 'cause I know that there might be a lot of people against us initially, but you're my best friend and if you or Negi-kun don't like -"

Hearing enough of her friend voicing her silly doubts, Asuna held up her hand and cut her off mid-speech.

"Konoka, shut it for a sec. I'm really, really sure that I don't have a problem with you two getting cosier. In fact," Here, an impish grin curved her lips which made her heiress friend swallow nervously.

"You two are obviously very much in love with each other, so taking bond that a step closer is only logical if both of you are feeling attracted to each other..."

Konoka relaxed as Asuna sat down next to her again, finding herself relieved that Asuna was being so supportive.

"... and hey, no chance of pregnancy right? And you're both very clean people, so I think icky diseases can be ruled out too..."

Eyes wide and gaping at her friend, a now very embarrassed Konoka tried to ignore the pink flush that she could feel across her nose as she squealed indignantly and grabbed Asuna's shoulders, shaking the laughing girl violently.

"Asunaaaaa! Stop it!"

"What? I'm just saying! It's all positives, Konoka! Of course I'd be happy for you if you entered a relationship with Setsuna! It's not as big a deal as you're making it out to be, you know."

Hands still clutching the material of Asuna's pyjamas, Konoka pulled herself forward and hugged her roommate.

"Aw, thank you Asuna. Really."

"Hehe, no problem. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a paper route to get to..."

Getting up and heading towards the small bathroom area with a sweatshirt and pants hung over her arm, to get changed, Asuna called back over her shoulder.

"Oh, and I liked the skirt, tank and loose hoodie combination by the way. It's cute."

And before she closed the door behind herself, Asuna chuckled as she heard the frantic rustling of her friend trying to find said clothes from the treasure pile of them she'd created during the morning.

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Asuna wasn't careful with the door on her way back into the dorm. In her defense, why should she take care not to slam it behind her? No doubt Konoka would already be fully dressed and ready, making breakfast for the trio as she tends to go into 'Maternal Autopilot' every morning that Asuna gets back from her paper route. The fact that she had a date coming up probably wouldn't break that habit.

And as for Negi... Well, Negi needed to be up anyway.

Predictably, the sound of the door slamming jolted the young mage out of his dreams and he sat up in his bed, one hand rubbing his sleep-mussed hair and the other instinctively reaching across for the glasses sitting on his bedside drawer.

"Asuna-san? You're back already?"

"Morning, Asuna~! Just take a seat, I'm about to start cooking."

Asuna grinned a tad wearily at her roommates before slumping herself down into the nearest kitchen chair and unzipping her hoodie a bit. Cue the whining.

"Jeeeez, It's almost pitch black and freezing when I leave each morning, but by the time I get back two hours later it's just about stifling!"

Negi, in the process of changing out of his sleepwear, looked out the window cheerily at the rising sun and the gentle glow of morning light across the schoolgrounds.

"It looks like it is going to be a fine day, Asuna-san. It's probably just all of your running around every morning that works up a sweat, wouldn't you agree?"

"Quiet, nerd."

Konoka, carefully pouring some kind of batter into a heated saucepan, tossed her two friends a glance over her shoulder.

"Oh he's right, Asuna. It's going to be sunny with cool winds today. So relatively chilly, if anything!" she chirped, ignoring Asuna's tired groan.

"You really went all out and even checked the forecast for this date, didn't you Konoka?"

Shyly turning back to the stove with a small blush, the Konoe heiress answered her amused roommate with a mumble.

"Yes, I did... I wanted to plan mine and Secchan's day accordingly..."

Negi was pulling his shoes on near the door when the knocking started so he reached out and pulled it open, revealing an immaculately dressed Setsuna in a casual jeans & top outfit with Yuunagi slung across her shoulder.

"Good morning, Setsuna-san!"

"Good morning to you also, Negi-Sensei."

"Secchan! Come in, I'll make you some breakfast too!"

"...Um, sure!"

Setsuna stiffly walked into the kitchen where her Ojousama was cooking the food, but couldn't hide her obvious smile when Konoka greeted her with a friendly hug. Asuna watched them both intensely while she absent-mindedly drummed her fingers along the surface of the table.

Negi, now fully dressed, slid into the seat beside hers and gingerly whispered,

"What're you looking at?"

Asuna turned sea-green and sky-blue eyes to meet his two curious brown ones.

"The lovebirds," she answered in a similar hushed tone, allowing her eyes to briefly slide back over to where the Konoe heiress and her blushing friend stood, before meeting his again. "Or at least, the _potential _lovebirds, depending on how today goes."

Negi chuckled, which caused both Konoka and her guardian to focus attention on him.

"What's funny, Negi-kun?"

"Ah! Nothing, Konoka-san. Just a joke I was remembering in my head..."

"Oh, ok."

Watching as she turned her attention back to the stove and her conversation with Setsuna, the Student/Teacher duo seated at the table continued to observe the behaviour between their two friends. Konoka had her hand over a blushing Setsuna's, instructing her to hold the pan still while she used the spatula in her other hand to flip the pancakes. They couldn't help but notice the way that Konoka stood unnecessarily close to her guardian, their hips almost touching and her head practically resting on Setsuna's tense shoulder.

The Shinmeiryuu student herself, it seemed, was trying to slowly inch away from the proximity.

Within a few more moments the breakfast was ready and they were all seated around the tiny table, eagerly tucking into the yummy stacks of syrup-drizzled goodness. Asuna in particular chowed down her portion with an intensity formerly only seen in starving hyena packs, before washing it all down with a big swallow of orange juice and releasing a long, satisfied sigh.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again Konoka, you are an excellent cook!"

With Konoka smiling and being modest, Asuna slyly made eye contact with a one Sakurazaki Setsuna and winked at her.

"Being together with someone who could cook you meals like this for the rest of your life would be great, wouldn't it Setsuna?"

Blushing and stammering, Setsuna didn't quite know how to react in the face of such a implicit question. Konoka, however, twitched and shot Asuna an odd look that made her feel uncomfortable. It seemed kind of... threatening?

Now with an awkward air hovering over them thanks to Asuna, the girl in question and her younger teacher hurriedly finished up their breakfast and looked for a way to quickly escape the tension in the room.

"Um... Negi! When's the last time you washed your face?"

"W-what? Last night when I had a bath, why?"

"That's not good enough! Come on mister, let's get you down to the bathing area!"

"Asuna-san...?!"

In the process of finishing up the last of their pancakes, Setsuna and Konoka curiously watched the skit unfolding before them as Asuna jumped up and yanked the boy teacher to his feet, grabbing his shoulders and steering him towards the door. Konoka smiled hesitantly and raised her hand daintily, pointing towards the small dorm's bathroom door.

"Uh, Asuna, why not just let him wash his face in our basin right there?"

Stuttering for a reply, Asuna eventually yelled out an "It's too late!" and used her foot to shut the door behind them, the pair's footsteps heard as they travelled down the hallway. Still sitting, the hanyo and the princess glanced at each other with confused amusement.

"Well that was... weird." Setsuna sweatdropped.

"Yeah, and to think that people call ME the airhead one!" Konoka added, giggling into her hand.

"What!? Ojousama! Who dared call you such a degrading thing?!"

"Ehehe, Secchan they only joke... put the sword away, please."

Still sporting a tad pissed expression, Setsuna hesitated before sliding Yuunagi back into it's sheath, vowing to from now on keep an ear out for people calling her Ojousama such names and mentally resolving to punish them when caught.

Watching her Secchan get protective over her warmed Konoka's heart. Smiling, she reached out and tried to entwine her fingers with the ones of Secchan's that were idly resting on the tabletop. She was met with a sharp rebuttal as Setsuna immediately pulled her hand free, looking away from Konoka and beginning to gather up the empty plates before standing.

"I'll put these on the sink, Ojousama, and then we'll leave."

"O-okay, Secchan..."

* * *

They sat on the train, heading into the city. Well, at least Konoka sat. Five minutes into the trip, Setsuna had to stand up and travel the rest of the way holding onto one of the balance poles, unable to sit back down beside her ojousama because the girl seemed to be determined to lean up against her if she did.

Now, it would be a gigantic lie to say that Setsuna didn't want that. Oh no, in fact the first time Konoka had gently leaned into her, sweet lotus-scented chocolate locks spilling onto her neck, warm curves pressed against her own... Well, frankly it took her deepest reserves of willpower not to cuddle into that soft body and nuzzle her face into the even-softer hair.

Thus, it was a difficult decision on Setsuna's end to finally avoid all chance of losing control by simply removing herself from temptation's way. Although in doing so, Setsuna noticed that curious flicker return to Konoka's usually-cheerful eyes, the same one she had spotted last night as they were parting ways at the dorms.

_It's that disappointment again!_

As she stood a few feet away from her beloved ojousama who was gazing out of the window, Setsuna allowed herself to muse over the possible meanings of this emotion that she has begun catching more and more often in the other girl's expression.

_Surely it couldn't be that she knows of my feelings for her?! I mean, I know that sometimes it's a little obvious, but still..!_

Suddenly beginning to panic, Setsuna accidentally lost her footing and stumbled forward as the train came to a halt, bumping into a young man in front of her and sending his iPod shooting out of his hand and clattering onto the floor. Konoka's attention perked at this, as she watched her Secchan apologetically dart forward and retrieve the item for the man. He must've been one of the Mahora University students, Konoka conluded, based on his age and the fact that he was riding the train that directly carried to and from Mahora's campus.

Another thing she noticed, to her dismay, was the way his eyes lingered on Setsuna's form as she handed his mp3 player back, feeling a twinge of jealousy when she saw how her guardian's signature blush covered her face as she smiled weakly and muttered some kind of 'sorry.'

She was unaware that Setsuna's thoughts weren't even on the flirtatious man at all, but rather she was still caught up in her own worries of her feelings for Konoka.

Now that the train had stopped, Konoka stood up with a determination that she wasn't about to let her Secchan become dazzled by some... some _pretty boy _when Konoka herself would be a 100x better match for Setsuna than anyone else could ever hope to be!

"Secchan, Come on~! Let's go check out the clothes first!"

Setsuna only had time to register a brown blur before her arm was seized and she was swept out of the train, out of the station and into the bustling street crowd. Regaining her bearings, Setsuna looked in front of her where she was being dragged along by the hand as Konoka strode in front of her, eagerly looking out for shops of interest.

Setsuna swallowed as her eyes left their connecting hands instead to rest their sights on Konoka's taut behind through the fabric of her tantalisingly short skirt, before travelling down her long slim legs which were concealed by tight black leggings. Biting her lip, Setsuna summoned enough strength to screw her eyes shut and turn her head away.

_No! I was ogling Kono-chan __**again! **__How can I be so weak?! I swore that today was going to mark the first day that I began fighting these abnormal desires, and yet I continue to indulge myself in... in views like these! _

Unable to resist, Setsuna felt one treacherous eye open and take another peek at the girl's derriere. Balking at her own body's betrayal, Setsuna yanked her hand free of Konoka's grip and immediately stepped up beside her, feeling it would be safest to travel side-by-side with the girl and therefore allow herself to banish any perverted thoughts from her mind. Glancing to her left, she looked into the questioning eyes of her ojousama... the large, chocolate-brown, _beautiful_ eyes of her ojousama that she could imagine would cloud over with lust and the pupils expand with hunger as she lay beneath Setsuna and -

_Crap! It's happening again! Even her eyes are a trigger for it!_

"Secchan, what's the matter?"

Konoka fought pretty hard to keep her tone as light and sweet as it usually was. Inside, she was feeling stirrings of confusion and hurt swimming low in her gut, her mind beginning to jump to conclusions as to why Setsuna stopped holding hands with her in the first place and then when they made eye contact she turned her head sharply away and fix her gaze elsewhere. She appeared to want to look anywhere other than at Konoka herself.

Glancing at the adorable mage out of the corner of her eye but without facing her completely, Setsuna stammered her reply.

"It, uh - Nothing. I simply felt it would be easiest to protect you if I walked in tandem rather than fall behind and expose you to potential attacks from the front, Ojousama."

Konoka stared uncertainly at the girl for a few moments, before secretly sighing in relief to herself.

_That certainly sounds like something Secchan would do... perhaps I am just overreacting. I mean like Asuna said, it's obvious to everyone that Secchan is smitten with me, and I've put so much thought into this date, so I'm not about to let my own insecurities get in the way of finally being able to be with Secchan in the romantic sense I've always wanted!_

Re-boosting her self-confidence with these positive thoughts, the young heiress once again allowed her Konoka Bright Smile™ to shine as she saw a boutique ahead that she decided she wanted to look in first.

"Ooh, Secchan in here!"

And without giving the easily-flustered swordswoman a chance to react, she had once again snatched her hand and was dragging her into the store.

* * *

Once inside, both girls were wandering around looking at various items of clothing. Konoka, sifting through a rack of sundresses, decided she was going to take a tiny bit of initiative and find out just how interested Setsuna was in her appearance. Exaggerating a sigh, Konoka pouted as she stood back from the hangers.

"Gee, Secchan, I just don't know what to pick... What do you think I would look good in?"

After a few seconds of silence, Konoka turned around quizzically to check on the whereabouts of her friend.

"Secchan?"

But alas, the Shinmeiryuu student was in her own little world, completely out of reach of Konoka's voice as she stared intensely at one of the mannequins before her. Except, in her mind's eye, it was Konoka who stood before her in the near-indecent black dress, the form-fitting bodice clinging to her torso and emphasising just the right areas as the thigh-length skirt smoothly hugged her hips. Really, it was something that Evangeline would be more likely to wear than her Kono-chan would - the gothic/lolita style capturing Setsuna's attention and imagination as she reached out a hand to touch one of the black lace bows that tied corset-style at the base of the waist.

Walking to stand beside her captivated friend who was now idly tracing her fingers along the satin fabric, Konoka took a good look at the garment herself before blushing in embarrassment and just a hint of shyness.

"You'd like to see me in this, Secchan?"

Almost - _almost!_ - absent-mindedly nodding her assent, Setsuna snapped out of her own little fantasy as she suddenly realised that the **real-life** Konoka was asking her this!

"W-w-what?! No, of course not! I'd **never** want to see you in this!"

Her words, while meant to cover up her own surprise at nearly being caught, instead managed to send Konoka's self-confidence plummeting.

"Oh... Ok then."

_I know I haven't got the biggest assests in class, but why did Secchan sound so mortified at the thought of me wearing that? Maybe she's not actually attracted to women at all... But, everyone says that she loves me! Why can't I figure it out?!_

"Umm, Secchan, what kind of clothes would you like to see me in then?"

Setsuna, face nearly erupting into flames and imagination running far wilder than she could catch it in time, focused all of her attention on not allowing any trace of blood to trickle from her nose and instead answered in the safest way possible,

"Whatever you choose, Ojousama. I'm sure that whatever you choose will look nice."

Inwardly, Konoka was tearing her hair out.

_What kind of answer was that, Secchan?! So you really aren't interested in my appearance at all, are you?! Oh Secchan... if only you knew how important that was to me..._

Trying to hide her hurting with a bout of playfulness, Konoka poked her tongue out at Setsuna and reached out to the clothes rack behind the mannequin that held numerous sizes of the tiny dress. She forced herself to giggle.

"Hey Secchan, let's say I try it on anyway? Just for a laugh!"

Setsuna's heartbeat did it's familiar routine of going psychotic in her chest like a crazed bird in a cage at the words. Feeling something low in her abdomen twitch at the thought of Konoka walking out of the change rooms in that... that _wet dream material_ dress, Setsuna swallowed down the lump in her throat as she felt the self-disgust kick in from the shame of her body reacting the way it did. She felt so low at the moment, so saddened by the fact that her own body that she spent years mastering and training was now so eager to betray her.

So desperate to have Kono-chan, lusting after Kono-chan, _wanting Kono-chan..._

Setsuna's hand shot out and stopped Konoka from pulling the dress off of the rack.

"No, Ojousama. I don't want to see you wear it. Let's go and look at some scarves or something instead, ne?"

Konoka remained still and silent for a few moments, her face hidden beneath her fringe and hand still grasping the hanger of the dress that she was about to pick up. With a small, almost unnoticeable shake of her head, Konoka turned on her heel and walked out of the store, leaving a now-bewildered Setsuna to rush to catch up to her.

"Ojousama!"

Konoka kept walking through the crowd, head down and anxiously chewing on the inside of her cheek in order to stop the flow of tears that she could feel were brimming in her eyes. Behind her, Setsuna almost bowled over three different people in her desperation to catch up to Konoka.

"Kono-chan, wait!"

Reaching out and grabbing her arm, Setsuna spun her charge around to face her, worriedly trying to look into her face find any traces of upset that may have caused her to leave the store so suddenly.

Konoka took in a shaky breath, blinking to dispel the wateriness in her eyes, and raised her head to face Setsuna with a forced smile.

"Sorry about that Secchan, I just..."

Trailing off, Konoka looked into her guardian's worried face, those ebony eyes filled with concern as they waited for the end of the sentence.

_Oh Secchan, now you're looking at me like you really do love me... I used to think you were so easy to read, but now I just don't understand you! Why are you suddenly acting like I disgust you whenever I so much as touch you?_

With her hands still on Konoka's shoulders, Setsuna sighed inwardly as she looked imploringly at Konoka, waiting for the princess to finish her words.

_What is it, Kono-chan? Was it because you could tell I was daydreaming about you and it creeped you out? Or was it because you **wanted** me to see you in that dress? But then.... no, that can't be right. That would mean that you would..._

Her thoughts were interrupted by another smile from Konoka, a bit brighter and less strained than the previous one.

"It was nothing, Secchan. Don't even worry about it. Now come on, I checked the movie listings for today and there's this really neat action thriller that I thought you'd enjoy~!"

Setsuna blinked, unable to process the rapid comeback in her Ojousama's mood and demeanour. Her stupefied expression made Konoka laugh.

"Oh, you look like a fish out of water, Secchan. Maybe it's the sun; let's you get inside a nice, dark theartre, huh?"

Once again, Setsuna was dragged along by an over-zealous and energetic young mage.

_A nice, dark theartre with Kono-chan, huh? Oh god, this'll be hard..._

_

* * *

_

As they stood in the ticket line, the two friends chatted about the different posters that were hung up around the place and advertising new movies.

"Oooh look at that one, Secchan. It's that new James Cameron movie... we should watch that next time we come here, don't you think?"

Setsuna hummed, studying the 3D cardboard cut-out of a large blue alien as she finally turned back to Konoka with a small shake of the head.

"I don't know, Kono-chan, the idea of interspecies love between humans and aliens is a little disturbing for me..."

Konoka giggled and leaned in close to the swordswoman, bracing one hand on her shoulder as she leaned into Setsuna's ear.

"Yeah, the only good type of interspecies love is between a human and a crow-hanyo, right?"

Just from her postion at Setsuna's ear, Konoka could feel the heat flare up off of her friend without even having to look and confirm that she was blushing deeply. Not being able to resist teasing her a little further, Konoka tightened her grip on Setsuna's shoulder and leaned in even closer.

"A particular _white_ crow-hanyo, to be exact..."

At this point, they were next up in line to be served at the ticket booth and Konoka stepped away, patiently waiting for Setsuna to purchase their tickets. Except, it didn't happen.

"Um, excuse me? Next please?"

The woman behind the counter arched an eyebrow at Setsuna, who remained frozen on the spot and unanswering. Concerned, Konoka looked over at her friend who was beet-red and standing dead still, mouth opening and closing but no words coming out. Quickly turning back to the ticket lady who was fast becoming annoyed, Konoka ordered the tickets for them. Collecting them both, she tossed a glance back over to her statue of a friend and stifled a giggle.

"Come on Secchan, we have to get our drinks and snacks! You can't expect me to carry yours as well as my own!"

Watching as Setsuna dazedly blinked and walked over to her, Konoka spent the rest of their time in the snack line talking animatedly about the upcoming movie whilst the dark-haired guardian just nodded along to everything she said, mind still far elsewhere.

* * *

Settling into their seats, there was an awkward few moments of shifting and placing drinks into cup holders before the pair were sitting comfortably and ready to watch the movie. As the trailers were playing, Konoka sat their shared box of popcorn on her lap as she idly munched on some, eyes focused on the clips playing out on-screen before her. Setsuna, however, was looking elsewhere.

_As dark as it is in here, why oh why do I have a perfect view directly down Ojousama's top...?_

Forcing herself to look at the screen, Setsuna reached in for a handful of popcorn but accidentally bumped hands with Konoka, causing her drop a few back into the packet.

"S-sorry, Kono-chan!" she whispered, turning her head to look at Konoka and freezing as she did so.

"That's okay, Secchan." Konoka whispered back, never once taking her eyes off-screen and remaining completely oblivious to the piece of popcorn that she had accidentally dropped down her shirt. Setsuna wasn't though.

Oh no, her eyes had **immediately** registered the tiny morsel which was currently resting atop Konoka's cleavage, taunting the hanyo whose fingers twitched with the desire to retrieve it. If only for a chance to place her hand into Kono-chan's shirt, of course.

Completely unaware of Setsuna's inner turmoil as she glared at the piece with raging envy and debated on whether or not to pick it out for her ojousama, Konoka herself glanced down when she felt a little prick of uncomfort at the top of her chest.

"Oh, whoops."

And just like that, she plucked the little salty bite out of her shirt and popped it into her mouth, returning her attention to the screen like nothing had even happened. Setsuna, however, took a huge swallow of coke in order to calm herself down as the trailers faded and the lights dimmed further, signalling the start of the movie.

_Please, may I have the strength to make it through the rest of this day without showing myself up....!_

* * *

A/N: Ahh, horrible place to end it. Only a little way into their date, I know. But next chapter will be full of even more scenarios that put Setsuna's willpower to the test and confuse the hell out of Konoka even more than she has been already ;)

That is, if you think this story is good enough to warrant a next chapter? Lemme know what you reckon :)

Cheers to everyone who reviewed the first chapter!


	3. Oh, You mean?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Negima. I don't. I doooooon't.

A/N: Chapter 3, the end? I dunno, see if you think this ties it up neatly enough or if I should add another chapter :)

* * *

"So what did you think of the movie, Secchan?"

The swordswoman, blinking a few times as her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight outside of the cinema, felt her panic metre kick up a few notches while she nervously scratched the bridge of her nose.

"It was... Uh.."

She inwardly cursed her poor luck. _What am I supposed to say?! "Well you see Kono-chan, because you were so adamant to use me as your human pillow during the film I was much too busy fighting the impulse to squeeze you to death and, hey, I never even ended up paying one tiny bit of attention to the movie!"_

"... Um, what did _**you**_ think of the movie, Kono-chan?"

"Oh, well it started off okay but to be honest -"

And here, Setsuna felt joyous relief as she successfully averted Konoka's attention away from her opinion and instead set the girl off into a lengthy monologue.

_Nice save_, she congratulated herself. Not she minded Konoka's now one-sided conversation because to be honest... Konoka's voice was the most beautiful sound she'd ever heard, with it's lilting Kyoto accent and smooth, feminine tone.

Her Kono-chan's laugh was another sound that Setsuna loved, a harmonious melody that made Setsuna melt on the inside and feel light, happy and warm as though she were drunk.

Secretly though, the hanyo desperately wished for a chance to hear her Kono-chan's sweet moans, strangled gasps, _breathless whimpering..._

"But all in all, I suppose the movie was - Oh my god! Secchan! You're **bleeding!"**

Startled out of her steamy thoughts by her charge's panicked cry, Setsuna clamped her hand over her nose and slowly drew it back, sure enough seeing the sticky red substance lingering on her fingers.

_Oh crap! She's gonna know, she's gonna know...! Damn my uncontrollable thoughts!_

Reaching into her back pocket, Setsuna's fingers slipped on the material of her handkerchief as she caught sight of Konoka simultaneously reaching for her pactio card.

"Ack! O-ojousama, what're you -?!"

Abandoning the cloth, Setsuna whipped her arm out and seized Konoka's wrist, gently pulling it out of the girl's handbag and deftly plucking the magical card out of her love's fingertips.

"Aww, Secchan, I was going to use my artifact to heal you!"

"I don't need healing, Ojousama! Really, I'm fine! Besides, it's way too dangerous to just go waving your pactio card around in public!"

"But what if you have a... a brain aneurism or something?! Oh Secchan, I'd never forgive myself if I didn't...!"

"K-Kono-chan! It's nothing like that!"

Pouting, Konoka took the card back from Setsuna's wildly waving hands and deposited it back into the depths of her shoulder bag, zipping it shut and reaching up to softly cup her Secchan's cheek, effectively stilling the distressed girl as she leaned closer to assess the apparent nasal injury. Setsuna, for her part, perfectly mimicked a touch lamp as her face lit up in a warm glow as soon as Konoka's hand cradled her cheek.

Her brain suddenly shutting down all functions other than "Relish this rare moment!" and "Stare pathetically at Ojousama like a love-sick puppy!", Setsuna stood dead still, throat going dry while Konoka tenderly caressed the side of her face with her thumb as she clicked her tongue sympathetically. The guardian's body erupted into pleasant tingles as that hand moved to her chin and lifted it gently and to the side, Konoka's concerned gaze trying to pinpoint the cause of the blood.

"... Hm, maybe it's the heat, Secchan? I know Fumika-san gets nosebleeds in summer because of the heat, so maybe it's just from the drastic change in temperature between the theartre and out here..."

Secchan could do nothing but nod absently, her eyes drifting shut as she allowed the warm, drowsy feelings of contentment wash over her as a result of her Ojousama's concern for her wellbeing. She didn't know if it was a result of Konoka being a healing mage, or maybe just her romantic feelings for the girl, but Setsuna always felt so... so _radiant_ when she was in Konoka's presence, the other girl's bright smiles and cheerful demeanour were unbearingly infectious to everyone around her.

And that fact made Setsuna jealous. She wanted so badly to stretch her wings out, gather her Kono-chan up into her arms and fly her far away from any one looking to snatch her away from Setsuna's presence. However, with a pang of dismay, Setsuna knew that it was inevitable for her Ojousama to be married off for political gain eventually, her status as the future leader of both the Kansai and Kanto Magic Associations was something Setsuna couldn't interfere with no matter what her feelings on the subject were.

Eventually, Konoka was going to grow into a powerful mage, marry an equally powerful mage, have plenty of adorable children and live happily as a magical peacekeeper for her country. And where was Setsuna in this life outcome? She would continue to be Konoka's guardian and protector until the end of her days, as she was sworn, and would discreetly retreat, over the years following Konoka's wedding, back into the shadows where she could ably fulfill her duty without her letting her own emotions get in the way.

_And once she's married, she'll be so caught up with her new husband and her duties of being a wife that I'll be forgotten in the background, forced to watch Kono-chan's happiness unfold before me whilst knowing that my own would never be granted unto me..._

Setsuna's mournful, poetic musings ended abruptly with a loud shriek as the swordswoman snapped her eyes open and jumped, so lost in her own mind that she didn't notice Konoka's other creeping hand until it had clutched at her rear.

"O-O-OJOUSAMA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

With an innocent smile - _though the simmering emotion just behind her eyes looked far from angelic_ - Konoka allowed her free hand to leisurely slide down the back of Setsuna's jeans and two fingers slip into her back pocket. Head still being held fast by Konoka's grip, Setsuna trembled all over like a lamb before a lion beneath Konoka's impish and somewhat predatory gaze, the intense look in those deep brown eyes pinning Setsuna on the spot although her mind struggled valiantly against her unanswering limbs to push the other girl away, step backwards, do **something** rather than just stand there and allow her Ojousama to grope her so!

(Un)fortunately, Setsuna's wild libido had paired up with her neglected heart and declared mutiny on that ever-proper brain, taking control of her limbs and drowning out her attempts of control. Like something primal was driving her, Setsuna felt her eyes glaze over as that ever-familiar feeling washed over her entire body and a strangled sound like a groan rumbled in her throat. Lifting one strong hand to cover Konoka's that was resting on her cheek, Setsuna's left hand flexed as she prepared to reach up and behind her Ojousama's head, tangle fingers into long tresses, pull those sweet lips closer to her own and -

"Really, Secchan, we should get out of this heat. It was supposed to be cool today, but I guess the weather forecasts aren't always right." Konoka swiftly withdrew the handkerchief from Setsuna's back pocket that she had been reaching for and stuffed it in the hanyo's bewildered face, removing her hand from Setsuna's cheek and sighing as she stepped back and folded her arms.

".. and your face is all red, too. Should we go look in another shop, you think? Perhaps an air-conditioned one?"

Setsuna, amorous feelings draining from her like water down a pipe, dabbed at her nose with the handkerchief her Ojousama had thrust in her face and embarrassedly turned her head to avoid eye contact with the lively healer as she nodded resolutely.

"Ungh, sure th'ng K'no-chan."

Beaming at Setsuna's agreement, albeit muffled through the cloth that was being pressed into her face, Konoka sighed happily and spun around, sweeping her adamant gaze across the storefronts that lines the streets. Stepping forward slightly to avoid being bumped into by yet another crowd member, Setsuna withdrew the handkerchief from her now blood-free nose and delicately folded it up before returning it to her back pocket.

_What a sickening display of weakness... and in public to boot! Kono-chan, forgive me. I am unfit to be your bodyguard if I can be so easily swayed by such carnal desires..._

Here, her thoughts trailed off as she swallowed deeply and stared at Konoka's profile, the way the heiress casually flicked her hair back over her shoulder was enough to throw her focus out the window and swamp her with visions of nuzzling into and biting the smooth, white column of her Kono-chan's throat....

_... Whoah, what the hell? What am I, a vampire now?_

Sighing dejectedly, she stuck her hands into her side pockets and followed Konoka down the street.

* * *

There was a lot of shopping, talking and laughing that filled the time gap between the end of the movie and finally the suggestion of a treat. Loaded with the shopping bags like some kind of beast of burden - Although, to be honest, Setsuna had insisted that she carry her Ojousama's things for her - Setsuna feebly tried to keep up with the energetic mage who seemed to run on permanent batteries as she scoured for a good place to sit down.

"Should we get like a burger or something, Secchan?"

Shifting from one foot to the other, Setsuna reached up and flicked her hair back from where it had begun to stick to her neck. Man, she really hated sunny days.

"Um, well to be honest I'm not all that hungry, Ojousama, but if you wish for a burger then I shall oblige -"

"Oh ok then, you don't want burgers. Hmm..."

Setsuna let her mouth clamp shut as she was cut off by the young heiress and she sighed exasperatedly whilst Konoka continued to ponder on their choices.

_Look, I love you to death, Kono-chan, but if I let you try and decide this then we're going to be standing out here in the sun all day..._

"Um, I know there's this nice ice-cream place a little down the road from here, Kono-chan. Mana and I have been there before, perhaps we could get a drink there or something?"

Not turning to face Setsuna, Konoka pursed her lips.

_With Mana-san, huh? That sounds mightily like a date to me, Secchan..._

Blinking in surprise at her own jealous streak, Konoka shook her head and laughed to herself as she began to feel stupid for jumping to such an outlandish conclusion.

_Oh, what am I thinking? Secchan and Mana-san? Hahahaha! Nev-er!_

_... But I'll keep an eye on them, just in case._

Setsuna, a bit nervous as she watched the back of her ojousama's head tremble with seemingly unprovoked laughter, decided to spare her worry for her charge's mental wellbeing by stepping forward and bumping her shoulder into Konoka's.

"Are we going, Kono-chan?"

"Huh? Oh, right! Lead the way, Secchan!"

And with that, the pair headed off down the street once again.

* * *

"I dunno, I kinda like strawberry."

"Then I shall get strawberry as well."

"Oh, wait - I like chocolate too, maybe I should get that instead?"

"Yes, chocolate is a good choice. I shall get it also, Ojousama."

Konoka pouted as she realised that Setsuna was only agreeing with whatever she said. _And to think, this is only about milkshakes... what ELSE has Secchan pretended to like for my sake?_

Smiling, though slightly more of a grimace, Konoka stood on tip-toe and peered at the man behind the glass ice-cream counter.

"Can we please get two strawberry milkshakes?"

Setsuna, off to the side with her arms folded, narrowed her eyes at the young man behind the counter who scrambled to get their order ready, his ears burning red from the bright smile Konoka had given him.

_Tch, that was nothing. You should the smiles she saves only for ME...._

Amused at her own thoughts, Setsuna shook her head irritably as she banished the idea. It would do no good to try and isolate any of Konoka's actions as her own private show - Her ojousama was simply the type of person to show affection to everyone.

Not that she didn't feel hostile and territorial as a result of this, however.

During her usual checkups with Shizuna-sensei, as the Headmaster had made it clear that Setsuna have them regularly - the buxom nurse had asked her whether or not she'd started crushing on boys yet. It made her depressed. Knowing that she was weird, messed-up, _not normal _in the fact that she had forgone the attraction to muscles and testosterone and instead found herself lusting after the curvy body of her best friend.

In the back of her mind, Setsuna wondered if it was to do with her heritage. She knew she was the first ever Human/Crow Demon ever recorded to be conceived, and as such the Headmaster thought it was in best interests to have Setsuna get weekly checkups during her adolescence - As nobody quite knows just how her mixed-species hormones will act during puberty. So far she seemed to be developing at a normal physical for human girls, Shizuna-sensei had told her, and there were no outward signs of her demonic lineage showing through.

Setsuna remembered the day when her medical expert asked her that question in a friendly manner.

***** FLASHBACK ******

"You haven't had any pains in any of your limbs? Any spasms in your wings?"

"No, Shizuna-sensei."

"And your menstrual cycle hasn't been irregular or non-consistent?"

Setsuna squirmed uncomfortably at the question and just shook her head, muttering another "no" as the school nurse traced her shoulder blades, obviously trying to feel for any protrusions that would symbolise Setsuna's wings breaking through the illusion enchantment and beginning to show.

"Well Setsuna-san, you seem to be growing at the normal human rate in terms of bust and hips. Although you have a more athletic body than most girls, I'm sure you'll knock those boys for dead once you reach College and Mahora becomes co-ed again."

Here, the blonde winked at her cheekily at Setsuna, sitting on a small stool in nothing but her skirt and breast bindings, blushing as she just shook her head in embarassment. Shizuna-sensei chuckled at her discomfort as she placed her stethoscope and tape measure back into the medical cabinet. She tried to make some small-talk with the uneasy girl. For the entire time Shizuna had known the withdrawn hanyo, she was incredibly twitchy and reserved when it came to anyone but the young Konoe girl.

"So, do you have a boyfriend yet? Anyone you like?"

Setsuna lowered her head in shame, staring at the tiled floor as she neglected to answer aloud and instead just shook her head silently. Shizuna regarded her curiously, but decided it was best not to ask questions and just continued on with her duties.

***** FLASHBACK END ******

_Maybe these strange desires and urges that I have for Kono-chan are a result of what I am? _

"Secchan, here."

The cheerful smile from her best friend dispelled all negative thoughts as Setsuna smiled back gratefully and reached out for the cool drink. Scanning the room, the swordswoman found a vacant table for two and ushered Konoka towards it, nearly tripping over herself in her haste to pull the chair out for her ojousama.

"Aw, thanks Secchan. Like a true gentleman."

Stammering a reply, Setsuna fell into her own seat and placed her milkshake onto the tabletop. Glancing up, she was immediately hypnotised once again by Konoka's actions, this latest taunt being the innocent act of drinking through a straw. To the transfixed Setsuna, however, it was as though Konoka was going _out of her way _to tease the hanyo with the way her throat moved as she swallowed, and the way she drew back from the drink and smiled shyly at Setsuna with a stray drop of milk lingering on her lower lip.

Setsuna released a shaky breath as her fingers clawed onto the edge of the table above her lap, her grip so tight it felt as though she were going to snap off an entire chunk of the furniture. Konoka tilted her head quizzically at this behaviour.

"Secchan? What's the matter? You've been so... _stressed_, today."

Setsuna smiled weakly in the face of the question. _Right, I'm 'Stressed'... More like flustered and desperately horny, but whatever._

"I think you were right Kono-chan, the heat must be getting to me. But I feel a lot better now, especially now that I've got this."

Grinning half-heartedly, she grasped the paper cup and lifted it in front of Konoka before returning it to her lips and taking a sip.

_Wow, this is really good...._

"You like it, Secchan?"

Setsuna nodded, not releasing the straw from her lips while Konoka just leant forward, elbows on the table and chin resting on her entwined fingers as she watched her friend warmly.

"It's nice, isn't it?"

Another nod.

"... Secchan, did you know that strawberry is an aphrodisiac?"

Coughing and spluttering burst forth as Setsuna inhaled part of her drink. Konoka worriedly leaned forward, trying to hide the grin on her lips as she sympathetically rubbed her friend's back soothingly and gently pulled the offending flavoured treat from her grasp, placing it further away on the table.

"Aww Secchan, be more careful. I'd be devastated if you drowned in a milkshake."

With a giggle, she pulled her chair around to sit beside the now-frowning Setsuna and bundled her up into a tight hug. Setsuna forgot all sense of embarrassment at the drink blunder as she panicked from their proximity, flinching as she felt Konoka squeeze her tighter and rest her head on the hanyo's own shoulder.

With a deep swallow and strickened exhale, Setsuna raised both hands to Konoka's shoulders and ever-so-gently pushed the girl back, breaking their embrace. With an expression portraying what appeared to be betrayal, Konoka let out a short, sad laugh as she bit her lip and shook her head, turning away from the awkward Setsuna to gaze at the table.

"And here it goes again... Secchan, why are you doing this to me? All these mixed signals?"

"W-what do you mean, Ojousama? I don't understand..."

Konoka laughed hollowly again as she reached one hand up to hastily wipe at her fast-brimming eyes. Setsuna felt a painful stab in her chest at this sound - it was nothing at all like the adorable laugh she usually heard from her princess.

"And there we go with the Ojousama thing again, too... I don't understand, just what **AM** I to you, Secchan?"

Setsuna struggled for words as Konoka looked at her expectantly, breath occasionally hitching as she waited for her guardian's answer.

_Oh Kono-chan... please don't make me answer this. Please. I'm not ready to be separated from you yet, for you to push me away and our friendship to be shattered all because... because.... _

"... I love you, Kono-chan."

The words were barely heard, a choked whisper that Setsuna immediately regretted when she saw the odd expression overcome Konoka's sad features. Still staring at her, the now panic-stricken swordswoman was inwardly booting herself in the guts with steel-capped boots as she damned her own weakness when it came to Konoka's crying.

_Damn! Crap! Bloody-freaking-hell! There's still time to save this!_

"L-like a sister, and my best friend."

Those words, that blatant _lie_, caused Konoka's world to come crumbling down around her. She almost had it, was on the verge of lunging at Setsuna and kissing her with all of the pent-up passion and frustration that had been building in her for the past months since she began to notice the beauty of her Secchan's body, but that one sentence managed to ignite her hope and burn it to cinders before her. Strangely enough, she didn't feel like bursting into tears. Or yelling, screaming, kicking the table over in a most unlady-like fashion or even valiantly declaring her own love for Secchan. Rather, she simply felt the urge to be alone.

She wanted to go home, lock the door, crawl into bed and bawl her eyes out until she fell asleep. Hopefully, when she woke, she would find that the entire day was all just a nightmare and Setsuna still awkwardly crushed on her, still followed her around like a love-sick puppy, still gave her reason to believe that her feelings weren't unrequited.

Unfortunately she was far away from the dorms and sitting in the middle of a bustling ice-cream shop, heart broken in two as she stared dumbly at the table and a worried Setsuna fidgeted a few feet away from her.

".... Ojousama?"

Blinking once, Konoka slid her gaze over to meet Setsuna's distressed one and she conjured a small smile that not even a fool would believe.

"I love you too, Secchan."

Setsuna looked away sadly. Hearing those words coming from her Kono-chan, and knowing that they were only meant in a platonic way... Well, it hurt her. For many, many nights she had dreamed of lying next to Konoka, basking in afterglow and her princess whispering such words to her as they cuddled together under the sheets. Or even in class, she would imagine holding hands walking to and fro classes with Konoka, giving Konoka a parting kiss as she left for her morning training, nervously accompanying Konoka home during the summer holidays as Eishun welcomed her into the Konoe estate like a family member and joked about the pair hurrying up and getting married.

She scoffed inwardly at her own daydreams. It would never happen, she knew. And even if, by some slight miracle, Konoka was interested in her, the Konoe family would be quick to put an end to their gallivanting. Konoe Eishun would never bestow his blessing on a _sin_ masquerading as a relationship. And she also knew that, even if they were together, the pressures of being treated with prejudice by the majority of the outside world would be too much for the kind-hearted heiress to bear, and she would probably break it off of her own will anyway.

No matter how Setsuna thought about it, She and Konoka were never going to be together. Even though she craved Konoka in a sexual manner, her actual love for the girl was pure and had been present since they were children. Setsuna didn't make the rules, she didn't know why it was so wrong for two females to express love, but she knew for a fact that it **was**, and therefore tried with all her willpower and resolve to subdue these feelings that were screaming to be sated.

Nervously watching Konoka stare dazedly at nothing, Setsuna reached out and slid her milkshake over to the girl.

"... You want some more, Kono-chan?"

Shaking her head, Konoka cleared her throat a little and tapped her fingers on the tabletop, looking up at Setsuna and granting her another tiny smile.

"I've actually lost my appetite, Secchan. Perhaps we should start heading back now?"

Confused, Setsuna just nodded along to her Ojousama's wishes and gathered her stuff, standing and helping Konoka to her feet. As they exited the store and headed back towards the train platform, Setsuna glanced upwards into the now-dying sky.

_Wow, how long were we in that store? It's late afternoon already... Although I guess we did manage to fulfill our original goal and buy a lot of clothes today. Man, it'll be a lot of demon-slaying before I replenish what I've spent today..._

Swinging the plastic bags over her shoulder, Setsuna stood patiently at the street's edge as they both waited until it was safe to cross, her hawk-like eyes studying her charge closely and noting the way her entire demeanour just seemed... down. Duller than usual.

Sighing quietly, Setsuna used her free hand to reach out and gently rest on Konoka's shoulder. It made her turn around quizzically.

"Kono-chan, about back in the ice-cream store... what I actually - OOMPH!"

Setsuna jerked forward, the wind knocked out of her as a particular beefy man elbowed her in the square of the back as he tried to brush past her and cross the road. Glancing back, Konoka saw that the crossing lights had turned green and the entire crowd was hastily sweeping across the busy street before their chance was taken again.

"Come on, Secchan, let's cross now."

And with that, Setsuna sadly watched as her love spun on her heel and walked off towards the other side of the road. Setsuna followed, watching the heiress with a forlorn expression that quickly heated up into a blush as she realised her eyes were following the sultry sway of Konoka's hips.

_Gah! _

* * *

Turning her head away from the orange-bathed fields that the train whizzed past, Setsuna looked at the girl sitting in the seat next to her on the near-empty bus. No attempts to lean up against her this time, Setsuna noted, as instead Konoka sat with her head down and hands fiddling in her lap.

Her foot sliding against the plastic bags caused them to rustle as Setsuna sat up straighter, determined to clear up what was wrong with Konoka once and for all.

"Ojousama."

".... That's not my name."

Setsuna sweatdropped. _Okay, bad start... maybe she's a little moodier than I thought..._

"Um, Kono-chan?"

This effectively caused brown eyes to glance up at her, Setsuna's heart reverberating as she saw the traces of sadness still present. She smiled reassuringly at her ojousama.

"Kono-chan... Whatever is bothering you, you can tell me. Right? You know we don't keep secrets from each other."

The bitter taste of hypocrisy stung Setsuna as the words left her tongue. _Tch, we don't keep secrets. Except for the fact that you make my head spin and I'm crazy in love with you Kono-chan, but that's hardly counted._

Grimacing at her sarcastic thoughts, The swordswoman bit her lip as she watched Konoka rub at her left eye tiredly. She sighed.

"Look, Secchan, it's been a long day and I don't really wanna talk about it, if that's ok. I know you see me like a _sister_ to you, and _sisters_ should tell each other everything, but this is just something personal."

Setsuna wasn't sure if she'd actually heard the sour undertone as Konoka distastefully ground out the word 'sisters' or she had just read it wrong. Either way, while the fact that Konoka was putting up a wall between them hurt her greatly, Setsuna wasn't about to chastise her for it. Not when she had spent two years being an absolute bitch to Kono-chan and upsetting her back in school when she had done the exact same thing to her, believing that keeping her at arm's length was the right thing to do...

_Hang on..._

Setsuna gasped; all the realisation in the world flooding her in that one moment as she drew parallels. _Wait... What I foolishly did back then, that's exactly what I'm doing now! Oh crap! No wonder she's been so weird today! She thinks I'm pushing her away again!_

Without warning, Setsuna turned and pulled Konoka flat against her in a fierce hug, the bewildered and stunned girl only managing to let out a small "eep" of surprise as she was cradled against a strong yet oh so cuddly chest. Head resting on Setsuna's plushy assets, Konoka herself for once fought down a bit of a blush as she tried to gauge what had caused the sudden display of affection.

_Hey, Secchan isn't supposed to make __**me**__ blush! __**I'm **__supposed to be the instigator!_

Now that she had followed her spontaneous urge to comfort her ojousama with a caring hug, Setsuna wasn't quite sure what to do as her panic mode kicked back in and she found that she didn't quite want to let go of Kono-chan just yet. Instead, she settled for shakily lifting her hand up and smoothing down Konoka's long tresses, moving to rest her flaming cheek against the top of her ojousama's head.

"Ojousama - K-kono-chan, I'm so sorry. Now I know why you've been so upset today, and I-I just...! I'm so sorry!"

Regretfully disentangling herself from Setsuna's grasp, Konoka sat up and peered hopefully into her guardian's face as she felt her heart flutter with renewed faith.

"R-really?"

"Yes, It's so obvious now. I'm sorry Kono-chan, it's all my fault."

Konoka let out a choking sob as she covered her mouth with her hand, still a bit too hesitant to fully believe that _Her Secchan_ had finally gotten it through her thick skull and realised exactly what Konoka felt for her. Or so she thought. She was unaware that Setsuna was merely panicking because she believed that Konoka thought that she was trying to break away from their friendship. Whew, complicated.

".... And it doesn't bother you, Secchan?"

Setsuna faltered a bit at answering this question. _What? What's she talking about? Why would I be bothered if she got upset from thinking that I didn't want to be her friend? Heh, she's practically acting like she's just asked me to be her __**girlfriend **__or something..._

"Of course not, Kono-chan."

Laughing happily, and still crying a little, Konoka glanced around the empty train to confirm that they were the only ones still riding it. When she was sure that they were alone, the young mage grabbed both sides of Setsuna's face and drew her forward, mashing their lips together in their first, sweet kiss.

_#C%E&*JD$?!?!?_

Setsuna's brain lost all ability to even articulate thought as her body shut itself down completely and surrendered to the unexpected kiss. The torrent of feelings, which hadn't really disappeared throughout the day so much as lie dormant, exploded to life again in full force as her eyes rolled back closed and her body shuddered, feeling the stirrings of love and excitement even though the kiss itself was relatively chaste.

Gently pulling back with an audible smack as their lips parted, Konoka breathed in deeply as the whirlwind of emotions assaulted her too - Euphoria and exhilaration probably being the more dominant two as the knowledge of her first ever romantic kiss with Secchan registered in her hazy mind.

_I kissed Secchan I kissed Secchan I kissed Secchan I kissed Secchan I kissed Secchan I kissed Secchan I kissed Secchan !!!_

Slowly opening her eyes, Konoka smiled breathlessly as she regarded the girl in front of her. Then she frowned.

Setsuna... was purple?

"Secchan! Oh my god, Secchan! You're not breathing!"

The hanyo dimly registered the sound of Konoka's worried voice through her fog of happiness and it was enough to snap her back into reality. It seemed that, during all the excitement, Setsuna's body had indeed forgotten to breathe. Now that she was jolted into shallow breaths, the purple tinge to her features had inverted into a warm red colour that bathed her face as she licked her dry lips and smiled weakly at her mage.

"Ah, sorry 'bout that Kono-chan... I guess you... took my breath away?"

A few moments of silence and a raised eyebrow from Konoka before the young heiress giggled behind her raised hand.

"That was just unforgivably corny, Secchan."

"S-sorry...."

Konoka just laughed and threw her arms around Setsuna's neck, pulling in for kiss number two. The rest of the train ride included kiss numbers 3 through to 13, from then on becoming a blur of multiple kisses all rolled into one as the pair got more acquainted with each other and accustomed to their new game.

As the train came to a halt at the Mahora Campus, the two girls begrudgingly detached themselves from one another and picked up their bags, dreamily gliding out of the train and onto the platform in a daze as they walked side-by-side towards the dorms, Konoka eventually reaching out and entwining their fingers as they went.

After a few minutes of companionable silence, Setsuna allowed herself to voice a question that had been eating at her since they began their trek.

"Uhh, Kono-chan..."

Setsuna felt the warmth flare in her belly as she recognised the sheer happiness glowing in Konoka's eyes as she looked at her.

"I was just wondering... what on earth compelled you to kiss me back there, anyway?"

Konoka shot her an amused and somewhat questioning smile.

"Well, you said yourself that you finally figured out why I was unhappy all day. It was because I thought you didn't have the hots for me like I do for you, Secchan."

At no reply, she sweatdropped.

"That _is_ what you meant, right Secchan? Because that's the exact reason I was upset."

Setsuna just stared blankly, half-prepared to face-palm at her own stupidity for not being able to see how obvious it all was. _And to think I was trying so hard to banish these feelings because I thought she'd hate me for them! _

Eventually shaking her head, Setsuna just grasped her Kono-chan's hand tighter, shyly avoiding the loving gaze Konoka cast her way and clearing her throat to try and dispel her embarrassment.

"Ehh, I was close enough, Kono-chan."

* * *

A/N: So I guess it could be ended here, but if you guys want another chapter of them getting back to their dorms (And some more smart-ass Mana) then let me know otherwise thank you very much to everyone who read and reviewed my first Negima short story. If you'd like to see more KonoSetsu, let me know that as well because I really enjoyed writing it and I don't really want to go back to ShizNat just yet :P

Cheers!


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